This invention relates to retro-reflective roadway delineator normally used for median barriers as well as special variations of said delineator are used either as a temporary roadway marker or slurry seal marker. Various phases of highway constructions require specific types of delineator or temporary marker. The frequently applied delineator is used during the first few weeks after top coating of an asphalt concrete pavement.
This invention has greatly improved structural and optical features as well as considerably reducing cost of manufacturing such highway safety devices, by inventing a novel process for making such delineators for use over a wide range of roadway applications and needs.
The use of protective concrete barriers or u-shaped guardrails is a standard fixture in modem highways, such as freeways, bridges and surface roadways.
This type of barriers is used protectively to separate two-way traffics, especially when there are not enough protective medians spacing available. The prevailing trend is the use of concrete barriers for their effectiveness, flexibility, minimum maintenances and esthetic values.
In order to enhance the safety of motorist during severe weather conditions or during nighttime driving conditions, retro-reflective markers are affixed onto the upper portions of such barrier structures.
Prior arts for barrier reflective delineator marking has been generally made in processes that have two or three elements or steps. The most commonly used geometric shape for roadway construction delineator is an L or T shaped delineator. This type of delineators are made of at least two parts, the L or T shaped resilient body, plus at least one retro reflective strip agglutinated on the vertical side of said resilient body.
A layer of a thixotropic and moisture sensitive adhesive is fixed to the base of said delineator for direct application to the roadway or to a barrier. These types of delineators require several steps for assembling of said delineator, most notably, the separate forming of the reflective sheeting or purchasing said sheeting from independent vendors.
Other prior art temporary markers that require longer lifetime use, specially during construction phases with duration of about six months to a year period are generally made of hollowed structural plastic body, such as ABS, polyurethane or other plastic with reflective sheeting welded onto said body.
All previous arts need the additional steps of separately forming the retro reflective strips and the step of agglutination of at least one reflective strip onto the vertical sides of the resilient body for delineation.
Such reflective sheeting has different structural and thermal properties from that of the L shaped resilient body of the prior arts.
These differences tend to create stress failures and eventual break up, thereby detachment of the reflective sheeting from the delineator body.
Exemplary of other temporary roadway markers or delineators previously known are such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,002 issued to S. A. Heenan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,673 issued to May, U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,994 issued to Edouart and U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,115 issued to Speer.
The primary objective of this invention is to provide a simple, durable, inexpensive and effective process of manufacturing delineators and temporary roadway markers with very high retro-reflective capability, which can be formed in a single step process thereby forming the reflective faces as well as the body of said temporary marker or delineator from one or two types of durable, resilient and tear resistant polymer.
In accordance to other aspects of this invention, is to provide a durable and highly effective barrier marker or delineator marker in a single step process having any desired body shape monolithically including the retro-reflective faces.
Anther feature of the present invention is the textured and grooved base surface of said delineator, which allow said marker to be mounted either on a roadway or on a vertical faces of a barrier.
It is further objective of the present invention is the use of raised ridges on both sides of the vertically positioned reflective face portion of the delineator to provide protection from direct tire contact, especially where such delineator is used during the drying period of the slurry seal coat application and to enhance the structural support and tear resistance of said delineator face.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a temporary reflective delineator that can be used effectively for a short to medium period delineation. Anther aspect of the present invention, is to provide a temporary roadway delineator that include textured planar base surfaces to affix pressure sensitive adhesive for agglutination of said marker to roadways or barriers.